Brown house moth
The brown house moth is a small moth that lives in houses all over the world. Its wings are pale yellow-brown with dark brown spots. Its caterpillars are the real troublemakers: they nibble clothes, carpets and food in the cupboard.
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Fun facts
Its caterpillars are see-through, so they can change colour depending on what colour of cloth they have eaten.
It first came from Asia and spread to Europe and the rest of the world about 180 years ago.
A big female can lay 400 to 500 eggs.
The caterpillars can digest hair and wool thanks to helpful bacteria in their tummies.
In warm, heated houses the moths can fly at any time of the year.
Most asked questions about Brown house moth
?How do I know if I have brown house moths?
Look for small brown moths flying near lights, and small holes in woollen clothes, carpets or packets of food.
?Do brown house moths eat clothes?
The moths do not, but their caterpillars do. They nibble wool, fur, leather and other fabrics.
?Is the brown house moth dangerous?
No. It does not bite or sting. It is only a nuisance for clothes and stored food.
For bug experts
- Scientific name
- Hofmannophila pseudospretella
- Group
- Moths
- Family
- Oecophoridae
- Classification
- Insecta > Lepidoptera > Oecophoridae
- Lives on
- Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Australia and Oceania
Where the facts come from
- Hofmannophila (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0): what it looks like, where it lives, what it eats, sizes and fun facts, retold in simple words.
- Picture by Michael Kurz. CC BY-SA 3.0 at, Wikimedia Commons. The round sticker of this bug is cut from the same picture.
If we got something wrong, sorry, we are bug fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
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